


Inner Daemon

by sentientcitizen



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, His Dark Materials
Genre: Crossover, Multi, Threesome - F/F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-18
Updated: 2011-01-18
Packaged: 2017-10-23 02:18:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/245175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sentientcitizen/pseuds/sentientcitizen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tara thinks that being a weredaemon must be one of the worst things in the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Inner Daemon

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here](http://community.livejournal.com/fandom_stocking/124994.html) for [](http://umbralillium.livejournal.com/profile)[**umbralillium**](http://umbralillium.livejournal.com/). I don't own BtVS or HDM, and I'm making no money off this.

“Oh,” said Tara weakly. “Hello.” At her feet, Adrastos let out a startled _mew_.

The young man standing at the door to her dorm room smiled wearily at her. “Hey. Buffy thought I might find Willow here?”

At the sound of his voice, Willow’s head snapped up, and Vasilios let out a joyful caw. “Oz!” they cried, in one voice, and Willow was up and across the room and hugging the young man fiercely, Vasilios flapping around their heads, before Tara could quite register what was happening. This was Oz? But, that meant –

\- oh. She took a nervous step back, feeling sick. A quick check confirmed it: the tired looking young man had no daemon. Tara shuddered. She’s heard the stories of Oz. Adrastos hissed, and pressed even tighter against Tara’s legs. “Broken,” he growled.

Oz must have heard, because he stiffened, and stepped away from Willow. Tara had to resist the urge to leap forward and drag Willow to saftey. “Hey,” he said with a nod at Adrastos, sounding like he was trying for a friendly tone but falling somewhat short. “Snow leopard, yeah? Saw a few in Tibet last year. They’re tougher than they look.”

“Th-thank-you?” she stammered, not certain it had been meant as a compliment.

“Yeah, sure.” Oz smiled tightly at her, then turned to Willow. “You alright? Everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s great! Just hunky-dory! I’m, uh, well, isn’t this nice, but, uh... so, how are _you_?” Willow flashed Oz a nervous grin, as if only just realising what, exactly, she’d been welcoming into Tara’s room.

“In control, if that’s what you’re asking,” Oz answered, looking more exhausted than ever. “Capitoline... she’s still in here, but she’s not getting out. Ever again.”

Quietly, Tara knelt down and gathered Adrastos up into her arms, burying her face in his fur as she stood. He’d soon be too big for her to hold like this, she thought with some regret. But he’d always be there for her, with a comforting touch or a calming word. Always.

Buffy and the others talked like it was the worst thing in the world to be a vampire, a walking corpse with no daemon at all. But to be a weredaemon... Tara thought that must be worse. Everyone always said people and their daemons were of one body, but it wasn’t meant to be so, so _literal_. To know your other half was _right there_ , but to never be able to see, to touch... no wonder it drove the daemon mad.

“H-how?” she asked, unable to help herself. Oz looked at her, not seeming to understand, so she tried again, lifting her face clear of Adrastos’s fur. “How d-do you keep your daemon i-inside?”

“There’s spells,” he answered, after a moment, “and I meditate...” he trailed off. “You have to want it,” he said at last. “That’s the hardest part. Not letting myself _want_ her out.”

Tara felt something inside her chest twist in deep pity for Oz. Broken, yes, and then patched back together with spit and prayer. Would she have been strong enough to do it? Was there anyone in the world she loved enough to lock Adrastos away like that?

Willow. She could do it for Willow, maybe, if Adrastos were already mad beyond saving. Unbidden, her eyes darted over to Oz. Oz had done it for Willow. Had gone away and learned to lock up a piece of his soul, and then Tara had – oh. Oh, it wasn’t fair. And Willow loved him still, Tara knew that, because Willow had so much love in her that only a fool would ask her to stop loving, would think that Willow even _could_.

Oz shouldn’t have to lose her. Willow shouldn’t have to choose.

Adrastos stirred, then leapt from her arms, landing on the floor with a soft thud. He padded over to Oz – then, with a moment’s hesitation, rubbed his head firmly against the young man’s leg.

Willow gasped – and Tara felt almost giddy at Adrastos’s daring. A moment later, Vasilios took wing, and landed on Oz’s shoulder with a soft caw. He leaned over, and seemed to mutter in Oz’s ear, thought Tara couldn’t hear the words he spoke. Oz blinked, and stared at Vasilios, and then turned to look at Tara. Very slowly, his eyes on her face all the while, he knelt down – and sunk his fingers into Adrastos’s fur.

Tara thought of stopping him – wondered why she hadn’t stopped him – but his fingers felt so good in Asrastos’s fur, and her own chest seemed to be rumbling with the force of Adrastos’s purr. She wanted – she wanted – she wanted...

She looked to Willow, and the other witch’s face was like the sun. “Yes,” Tara said, not knowing quite what question she was answering, but knowing the answer was still yes, yes, yes.

And with a grin, Willow went to shut the door.

**Author's Note:**

> One way or another, demons _never_ have daemons. That’s what separates them from humans, as opposed to just “demons look kinda funny and/or have weird powers”. Angel has a daemon, because he has a soul, but it’s not the same daemon Liam had, because it’s not his old soul he got back - his old soul died when Darla drained him - it was a new one he was cursed with. Anya’s daemon, Hartmut, was a rabbit, but D'Hoffryn destroyed him when he took her in, so even though she’s human again she can’t get him back. That’s why she’s so “afraid” of bunnies. Because she feels so incredibly sad and guilty every time she sees one, and she hates feeling that way. Hates, hates, hates. Also now I want to write a trillion stories in this ‘verse.


End file.
